- Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream; by David Platt
- On Preaching:Personal & Pastoral Insights for the Preparation & Practice of Preaching; by H. B. Charles
- Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts; by Jerry Bridges
Pastor Vic’s Educational Recommendations
Commentaries:
- The Bible knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)
- The Bible Exposition Commentary (2 Vols.) Matthew Henry Commentary (2 Vols.)
- MacArthur Commentary
- The Believer’s Commentary
- The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Craig Keener)
- The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament (Walton, Matthews and Chavalas)
- Hard Sayings of the Bible
Dictionaries:
- Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old And New Testament Words
- Expository Dictionary of Bible Words (Lawerence Richards)
- The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Merrill F. Unger)
Learning How to Study the Bible:
- Basic Bible Interpretation (Roy Zuck)
- How to Study the Bible (Richard Mayhue)
- The King James Only Controversy (James White)
- Observe, Interpret and Apply (Hans Finzel)
Information of False Teachers and False Teaching:
- The Kingdom of the Cults (Walter Martin)
- A Ready Defense (Josh McDowell)
- Christianity in Crisis 21st Century (Hank Hanegraaff)
- Handbook of Today’s Religions (Josh McDowell & Don Stewart)
- The Concise Guide to Today’s Religions and Spirituality (James K. Walker)
- Handbook of Denominations in the United States (Frank Mead & Samuel Hill)
- Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah’s Witnesses (Ron Rhodes)
- The Doctrines that Divide (Erwin Lutzer)
- Fast Facts on False Teachings (Ron Carlson & Ed Decker)
- What You Need to Know About Masons (Ed Decker)
Pastor Vic’s Devotional Recommendations:
Devotional:
- A Gospel Primer for Christians (Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love) – Milton Vincent
- Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ – John Piper
- The Dangerous Duty of Delight – John Piper
- Strength for Today – John MacArthur
Relationship Building:
- When People Are Big and God is Small – Edward Welch
- The Peacemaker – Ken Sande
- Shepherding a Child’s Heart – Tedd Tripp Age of Opportunity (A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens) – Paul Tripp
- Disciplines of a Godly Family – Kent and Barbara Hughes
- Reclaiming the Urban Family – Dr. Willie Richardson
- When Sinners say “I do” (Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage) – Dave Harvey
- Do Hard Things (A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations) – Alex & Brett Harris
- Forgiveness – John MacArthur
- Different By Design – John MacArthur
- Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands (People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change) – Paul Tripp
Christian Growth:
- Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health – Donald Whitney
- The Cross Centered Life – CJ Mahaney
- Stop Dating the Church – Joshua Harris
- Crazy Love – Francis Chan
- The Purity Principle – Randy Alcorn
- Humility – CJ Mahaney
- Desiring God – John Piper
- Pursuit of Holiness – Jerry Bridges
- Trusting God – Jerry Bridges
- Respectable Sins – Jerry Bridges
- The Fear of God – John Bunyan
- Don’t Waste Your Life – John Piper
- Enjoying Intimacy with God – J. Oswald Sanders
- Mental Illness and Mental Health in the Bible
- Deceptive Diagnosis: When Sin Is Called Sickness- by David M. Tyler and Kurt P. Grady
- Blame It on the Brain: Distinguishing Chemical Imbalances, Brain Disorders, and Disobedience- by Edward T Welch
- The Christian Counselor's Medical Desk Reference - by Robert Smith
Scripture Verses on what the Bible would consider reasons for mental illness:
- Mark 5:2-15 [Luke 8:35]; Mark 7:20-23; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Rom. 1:18-21; 28-32; Eph. 4:17-17; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Eccl. 9:3; Rom. 8:5-8; 1 Cor. 2:14-16; Dan. 4:16-17; 28-34
- Mental illness is a spiritual condition caused by man’s prideful rebellion against God.
Scripture Verses on what the Bible would consider to be mental health:
- Isa. 26:3; Psalm 1; 3; 19; 27; 42; 94:19; 119:92; 165; Matt. 22:37; Rom. 12:2; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 4:23; Phil. 4:8-9
- Mental health is spiritual wholeness caused by God grace in the work of salvation and sanctification.